Left Turns

Contact:
Press Office
(202) 226-9440

Left Turn: Schools and Colleges Continue to Struggle under ObamaCare’s Burdensome Mandates

WASHINGTON, D.C. | May 28, 2014 -

It’s no secret the president’s health care law is making life difficult for working families. Many of the ObamaCare problems plaguing the nation’s workplaces – lower wages, loss of existing coverage, higher costs – are emerging in classrooms across the country as well. To learn more about the consequences of the health care law on the nation’s schools and students, the Education and the Workforce Committee launched the #YourStory initiative. News reports and feedback received from education stakeholders reveal the tough challenges ObamaCare has levied on our education system:

Spokesman Brock Letchworth said the [Pitt County] school system had to cut the hours of substitute teachers because it could not afford to provide health care coverage to those teachers deemed full-time by the Affordable Care Act. “The cost for us to be able to provide health care to everyone would be just over $1 million...and that is the lowest cost to this school system.” – WNCN, North Carolina, Pitt Co. cuts substitute teacher hours due to Obamacare

The [Calvert] County school system is one of the best in the state. But now the school system has a problem – ObamaCare. The system faces a 13.7 percent increase in health care costs next year, as previously uncovered substitute teachers get covered and the overall policy costs are higher. – Harlan Daily, Maryland, Obamacare cost shockwave hits local schools

According to documents released by Minnesota’s Management and Budget (MMB) office, over the next three years, the total unfunded costs associated with Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance will cost school districts statewide at least $207.96 million. “This is troubling news for our schools,” Torkelson said. “This is $200 million that school districts won’t be able to use to hire more teachers or improve their educational programs. This is an unneeded expense that does absolutely nothing for our students.” – Mankato Times, Minnesota, Minnesota Schools to lose more than $200 Million because of Obamacare

Gov. Mary Fallin and legislative leaders have announced a Fiscal Year 2015 budget agreement that provides an $80 million increase for K-12 public education (with much of the hike lost to increased ObamaCare premiums)…increased health insurance costs under what is widely deemed ObamaCare will eat up approximately half ($40 million) of the projected “new money” for common schools. – City Sentinel, Oklahoma, “Global agreement” for OK state budget announced, with historic pension reforms included

I am the Superintendent of Schools…we will be forced to reduce the hours of our Educational Technicians. Reducing the ed tech hours, obviously reduces services to the children here. It is particularly harmful to students who require a one on one ed tech.– Quenten, Maine, Education and the Workforce Committee’s #YourStory Initiative

I am an adjunct professor…All in all I am going to lose about $14,000 a year in income…this situation has gone from bad to worse since the IRS created a formula to calculate our actual teaching hours plus prep time…I find it very strange and unfair that the IRS can dictate to my employer how many hours a week I am allowed to work. – Cris, Pennsylvania, Education and the Workforce Committee’s #YourStory Initiative